A telecommunication satellite includes at least one antenna enabling transmission and reception of electromagnetic signals. Each antenna includes a reflector the shape and the orientation of which determine the terrestrial zone covered by the antenna. With the aim of covering a plurality of distinct terrestrial areas or a terrestrial area more extensive than may be covered with only one antenna, a satellite may include a plurality of antennas, each antenna covering a specific terrestrial zone. However, the number of antennas with which a satellite may be equipped is limited by the space available under the nose cone of the satellite launch vehicle. Moreover, it may be desirable to be able to modify the terrestrial zone covered by an antenna. One solution addressing this two-fold problem is to design an antenna reflector the reflecting surface of which is deformable.
There are known antenna reflectors with a deformable reflecting surface including a flexible membrane and an actuation system comprising a plurality of pusher elements. The flexible membrane may be treated in order to form a reflecting surface. Each pusher element comprises a rod and an actuator of the stepper motor or piezoelectric motor type. Each rod comes into contact with a point on the flexible membrane and may be driven in translation by the actuator in such a manner as to deform the flexible membrane locally. The set of pusher members enables a particular overall shape to be imparted to the flexible membrane. The deformation of the flexible membrane being effected in a discrete manner, it is desirable to increase the number of pusher elements to enable a reflecting surface as smooth and a regular as possible to be formed. However, increasing the number of pusher elements implies an actuation system of high mass, large overall size and high cost. Moreover, each actuator must be supplied with electrical energy and controlled individually. This results in a complex electrical interface. If the actuators are piezoelectric motors, they must be supplied with energy continuously even when they do not have to actuate the rod.